English

Head of Faculty: Miss R Fox

Second in Faculty: Miss K Pickles

Faculty Information

Our faculty is characterised by enthusiasm, passion for our subject and commitment to providing the best possible experience for all students in every English lesson at George Pindar School. Our main aim is to achieve the highest possible standards for all of our students, allowing them to attain their best grades in English. We hope that our students will enjoy their work in English, and we strive to ensure that our curriculum offers a rich and diverse range of learning experiences. As a team, we believe that all students should enjoy learning and that each student should have an equal opportunity to achieve their maximum learning potential. We encourage students come to English lessons with the expectation that they will be valued and encouraged but that their lessons will be demanding, rigorous and enjoyable.

Learners in English lessons will be:

• Engaged in suitable activities – to acquire or consolidate concepts and skills
• Challenged – in relation to their earlier work. Students should be able to understand and cope successfully with lesson content, but only with intellectual, physical or creative effort
• Productive – students should be working at the optimum pace
• Motivated – students should be seeking help when needed and staying on task
• Collaborative – students will work together to explore the subject

Teaching in English lessons will be:

• Discursive – characterised by high quality work
• Interactive – students contributions are encouraged, expected and extended
• Well-paced – there is a sense of urgency, driven by the need to make progress and succeed
• Confident – teachers have a clear understanding of their objectives – both short and long term
• Ambitious – there is an optimism about high expectations of success

Curriculum information

We are constantly looking to hone and develop our English curriculum to ensure that it will inspire and engage students at both Key Stages 3 and 4. Our mission is to ensure that all students leave George Pindar School with the English skills that they need to succeed, both in education and in life beyond school.

Key Stage 3 English

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum covers a variety of topics ranging from exploring Shakespeare, George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ to looking at exploring a range of poetry. We are proud to be a partner school of the English Mastery English Programme which is giving the students more opportunity, regardless of their starting level, to develop the skills they need at GCSE level and beyond. 

Key Stage 4 – English language & English literature

English Language GCSE

100% Exam

Exam Board: AQA: English Language

When studying English Language, students will consolidate and build on the literacy skills they will need in the wider world by developing their functional, persuasive, narrative and descriptive writing expertise. In addition, students will examine a wide range of non-fiction and fiction texts in order to progress their analytical skills.

English Literature GCSE

100% Exam

Exam Board: AQA: English Literature

Students will study a diverse range of texts by authors such as J B Priestley, Charles Dickens, William Golding and William Shakespeare. They will also learn how social, historical and cultural context impacts on these works, encountering issues such as prejudice, the changing roles of women and the dark side of humanity. 

GCSE – Parental Knowledge Organiser

• Autumn: Oliver Twist
• Spring: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Summer 1: Poetry
• Summer 2: Danny Champion of the World

• Autumn: Sherlock Holmes
• Spring: The Tempest
• Summer: Animal Farm

• Autumn: Of Mice and Men
• Spring: Romeo and Juliet
• Summer: An Inspector Calls or Lord of the Flies

• Autumn: An Inspector Calls or Lord of the Flies
• Spring 1: Language Paper 2 and the Spoken Language Endorsement
• Spring 2: Power and Conflict Poetry – War and Nature Clusters
• Summer 1: Power and Conflict Poetry – Identity Cluster and Unseen Poetry
• Summer 2: Victorian Language Study – Papers 1 and 2

• Autumn 1: Macbeth
• Autumn 2: An Inspector Calls and Poetry Revision
• Spring: PPE DIRT and how to revision English
• Summer: Revision and exam preparation for all papers

GCSE A Christmas Carol

GCSE An Inspector Calls

GCSE Lord of the Flies

GCSE Macbeth

GCSE Paper 1 Language

GCSE Paper 2 Language

GCSE Power and Conflict

For all GCSE students, these student knowledge organisers are there to help your revision. They are separated into their correct papers and sections. Use them to help you recap the key concepts of each text. 

Literature Paper 1 – Section A and B

A Christmas Carol Knowledge Organiser

Macbeth Knowledge Organiser

Literature Paper 2 – Section A

An Inspector Calls Knowledge Organiser

Lord of the Flies Knowledge Organiser

Literature Paper 2 – Section B: Power and Conflict Poetry

Bayonet Charge Knowledge Organiser

Checking Out Me History Knowledge Organiser

Exposure Knowledge Organiser

Kamikaze Knowledge Organiser

London Knowledge Organiser

My Last Duchess Knowledge Organiser

Ozymandias Knowledge Organiser

Poppies Knowledge Organiser

Remains Knowledge Organiser

Storm on the Island Knowledge Organiser

The Charge of the Light Brigade Knowledge Organiser

The Emigree Knowledge Organiser

The Prelude Knowledge Organiser

Tissue Knowledge Organiser

War Photographer Knowledge Organiser